The Log Blog by Appalachian Log Structures

Rebuilding, whether due to a natural disaster, a need for more space or something else, leads to countless questions and many big decisions. If you built a home years ago, the construction world (and zoning law) has likely changed. If you purchased your home, you may be wondering where to start. No matter what your level of experience is, consider these nine points as you rebuild.

1. Insurance

Secure your property, document your losses and file your claim immediately after a disaster. FindLaw’s tips for fire insurance claims states, “Prompt action is...important if there were many other homeowners affected by the fire [or other disaster]. If you don't act immediately, you could fall to the bottom of the list of policyholders who have...insurance claims, and it could be a long time before the adjuster reaches you." In addition to your insurance company’s adjuster, consider hiring an independent expert to create a “scope of loss” package. Wildfire survivor Kerri Olivier recommends your package contain “documents, diagrams, photographs and itemized listings that explain what it will cost to put your property back in its pre-loss condition.”

If you have a mortgage, payout checks are written jointly to you and your lender. The money is held in an account and only released when rebuilding starts. Funds are usually disbursed in “progress payments,” for example, one-third up front, one-third at 50 percent complete and the final one-third at 100 percent complete. See United Policyholders’ article, “Getting your mortgage company to release insurance proceeds,” for tips.

2. Contractors

No one intends to pick a bad contractor, but you need to know who you can trust, who might be peddling a scam and who has the most experience. Always do your homework. Start with our tips.

3. Weather

You can break ground, pour a concrete foundation and begin construction in winter thanks to portable ground heaters, insulated concrete forms and concrete additives. However, “it takes an experienced crew and one with the proper equipment to protect the concrete so it can cure enough to resist freeze damage,” says Tim Carter of askthebuilder.com. You must decide if it’s worth the extra expense.

In rainy weather, wet building materials, flooded work areas and muddy roads make it difficult to transport supplies. Conditions can be hazardous for the crew too. Strong winds make it dangerous to lift larger materials and can blow dust and debris around the site causing additional delays. An organized contractor may make alternate plans, but try to be realistic about site condition and worker safety.

4. Timelines

Expect a minimum of six months for custom log home construction; longer in challenging locations, bad weather or complex designs. Construction time does not include time spent filing and collecting insurance claims, designing the structure and obtaining permits. Understanding possible delays will help you stay realistic about the timeline.

Your contractor should provide a schedule. “If you’re using a general contractor, the schedule may show only site preparation, foundation work, completion of dried-in shell and mechanical rough-ins, and finish work,” according to Log Home Living Magazine. The authors recommend you ask about “alternate suppliers and subcontractors in case the main sources are delayed or unavailable.”

5. Foundations

Your home’s foundation transfers its weight and loading through the ground. It also keeps logs and timbers off the soil, protecting them from insects and moisture. “The foundation you decide to build for your cabin will be influenced by: your site’s rock and soil type (rock, chalk, gravel, sand, clay or peat), the size of your log cabin, water tables, rock and gravel contours, drainage design, site ground (topography), [and] construction budget,” according to Log Cabin Hub.

6. Maintenance

Design with maintenance in mind whenever possible. Dry logs and sealed gaps make a solid house, so pay attention to the height of your foundation, water runoff, gutters and downspouts and the slope of the ground. According to the US Department of Energy, logs still absorb moisture once they are dried, so you must apply proper sealants and stains. Use caulk and chinking to fill gaps that result from building settlement over time. Roof overhangs and covered porches further protect the logs and can add beauty to your home.

7. Materials

A good contractor uses plans and past experience to estimate material quantities, but many variables affect the actual amounts needed. Building materials are subject to availability. The log profile or imported marble you love may be backordered or discontinued, so have a backup plan. Your budget should include reasonable allowances to buy extra quantities due to breakage, detail cutting and imperfections in natural materials. Some products only come in standard sizes or quantities, resulting in surplus. For example, if you need 53 feet of deck railing but it comes in ten-foot lengths, buy extra and make cuts.

8. Energy Efficiency

Even without conventional framing, insulation and waterproofing methods, you can maximize energy efficiency in log homes. For example, “cool roofs” are made of materials that reflect sunlight and aid cooling in summer. Passive solar design is another example: This careful window placement lets in warm sunlight in winter and extended overhangs create shade in summer. Check out the US Department of Energy website for more strategies.

You can save energy inside your home, too: A properly sized furnace, SIPs (structural insulated panels) in the ceiling, programmable thermostats and tankless hot water heaters are all energy savers.

9. Universal Design and Your Lifestyle

Universal design often means ramps, low countertops and wide doorways to accommodate wheelchairs; but, if you’ve fumbled with a round doorknob while carrying an armload of groceries, you might appreciate additional universal design features. Things like lever-style door handles, easy-access showers with grab-bars and open-concept floor plans make getting around easier for everyone. Consider whether your needs have changed or will change. Would a full bath on the main floor be more practical than upstairs? If you're looking ahead to aging-in-place strategies, think about incorporating universal design elements.

Rebuilding is also an opportunity to add or change amenities that complement your current lifestyle. For example, it’s easier to include a dedicated pool table area in your floor plan now than to convert a seldom-used bedroom later. Likewise, if you never filled up the walk-in closets in your former bedroom, build smaller ones and reclaim the space for the master bedroom.

Good luck on your project, and thanks for reading. Questions? Call 1-877-LOG-HOME (877-564-4663).

When speaking with folks about their dream log cabin home the 3 features of the home that they are most excited to talk about are:

Master Bedroom/Bath

Porches

Fireplace

We had fireplaces in the homes I grew up in. Dad always put in the iron swing bar so we could cook over the hot coals from the fires he would build. I have wonderful memories of coming home on a Sunday afternoon after Church to a big iron pot of White beans with ham hocks that had been cooking all morning and afternoon in the fireplace. The smell of the fresh baked cornbread coming out of the oven to have with it makes my mouth water even today!

When Dad and Mom built their last log home they installed a vented, gas stove. As we age it becomes harder and harder to swing an ax and haul wood. Dad always said that wood will heat 3 times – once when you cut it, once when you haul it and once when you burn it! Over the years I’ve come to understand what he meant and if you have a wood burning fireplace I’m sure you do too.

The other issue with a true, open hearth fireplace, is that the heat you’ve paid so dearly for to heat your home with is being used to fuel the flames of the fire and then it’s going right up the chimney. Although open hearth fire places are the most beautiful, they are also the most heat in-efficient.

Now days there are several energy efficient fireplace options to choose from – vented and non-vented fireplaces and gas stoves, wood pellet stoves, zero clearance fireplaces, inserts and wood burning stoves. Each option has its own appeal for different reasons and you should chose and carefully research each option when deciding what to put in your dream log home.

As we started to design our custom log home in 1992 we considered all of the fireplace options and decided upon a wood stove. We live out in the country with only electricity to power our home. In case of power outages we needed a source of heat in the winter as well as something to cook on. Fortunately, the longest we’ve been without power (so far) is 4 days in a bad ice/snow storm. When we know an ice or snow storm is coming, we usually cook some food in advance and use the wood stove to re-heat or to cook chili, fry eggs/bacon, etc. to keep ourselves going. So it’s a multi-purpose unit that is nice to look at and such a comfort on a cold winter night to set by and watch the flames and listen to the crackle of the wood as it burns.

We positioned the wood stove in the center of the house so even with the power out the house never gets below 68 degrees. During construction, I also consulted with the HVAC contractor and we put a cold air return up in the gable end where the stove pipe exits the roof. This allows all of the heat up in the cathedral ceiling as well as the heat being generated from the stove pipe to be circulated when then heat pump is on. By leaving the upstairs bedroom door open just a bit the upstairs HVAC unit rarely comes on as the heat from the stove naturally rises.

The type of wood stove we chose also offered a catalytic converter that will burn the smoke coming off of the wood so that what goes up to stove pipe is 98% clean. In essence we have a heat source that burns a natural renewing resource, it burns very clean and hot, can be used to cook on, was made in the USA and provides a source of exercise (have you ever chopped wood?) that is much needed in the Winter time! Does it get any greener/better than that?

When you are ready to start planning you log home and deciding where to put your fireplace, wood stove or other heating feature be sure to contact your local Log Home Building Consultant. We’re here to help “light the fire under you” to get you started on your Dream Log Home!

Good strategy, communication, vision and hard work eventually pay off for two homeowners who used all of the planning tools in their tool belt to build their dream log home.

It was not planned or executed overnight but over several years. Cultivating the dream, envisioning the finished product and working towards a common goal all paid off in the end. Now this beautiful log home is the Shaffer's dream log home come true.

A lot of their own blood, sweat and tears went in to their retirement home in Western North Carolina and it really shows. For the protection of their investment, they chose to use logs pressure treated with borates to guarantee against wood digesting insects and decay. In addition, they also liked the advantages that the spring loaded thru-bolt offered - keeping their log cabin home tight and energy efficient over the years.

Now that it's complete - they enjoy their time on the porch looking over the picturesque views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Their home was featured in Country's Best Log home magazine and you can CLICK HERE to see more photos and read about their experiences.

When planning your dream log home, take your time, think it through and don't forget to work with a Log Home Consultant that has your best interest at heart.

Recently I ran across this blog on houzz.com (written by Bud Dietrich, AIA) and thought it was very relevant to any building project. Several of the points he covers below I've touched on in my blog posts, but thought another point of view besides mine might be educational as well as informative for those looking to stay on budget while building or remodeling their dream log home in 2015.

"Inevitably, any new client will ask me "How much will the project cost?" The answer isn't always straightforward and easy. You see, a home construction budget, in both its creation and its maintenance, is more art than science.

Sure, it's easy to say the project is a new 2,000-square-foot house that will cost $200 per square foot to build. But what does that represent? Will it be the home you want? Does it factor in all of the intangibles and idiosyncrasies that any home construction project has? And you can certainly ignore any cost-per-square-foot guideline if it's an addition or remodeling project. Dealing with an existing house, especially one that's a little older, has its own set of rules.

Having said that, the best approach to identifying costs for your specific project and location is to talk with several architects, designers and builders. Each will probably give you a different "number," so you'll have to drill down into the detail of what that number means. Just remember that the devil is in the details.

1. Identify the project. Will it be a new home, an addition to your existing home, a kitchen or bath remodel or some combination of these? Each has its own budgeting method. While a simple "per square foot" cost may work for a new construction project, it definitely won't work for kitchen and bath remodels. And for something like an addition or renovation to a historic home, toss out any sort of cost guidelines. The best approach to establishing a budget for projects like these is to talk to professionals with experience.

2. Identify the pieces within your budget. Clients often don't identify all of the pieces of the budget. Sure, the largest piece might be the construction costs, but there will be many other costs. They can include land costs, legal fees, moving, decorating, landscaping, impact fees, architectural fees, permit costs and financing costs. At the outset, identify all of your potential costs and assign each a value. It would be a shame to finish the house but have no money left for landscaping or furniture.

3. Know thyself. If you just have to have that beautiful range that costs as much as a new luxury car, don't budget for the generic range from the local appliance store. Think about what you really want and how you really want to use the home you're creating, and make sure you've budgeted for it.

4. Expect to splurge. In the budget, allow for the few places where you'll want to splurge. For example, the kitchen backsplash is a place you may want to do something truly special and remarkable. If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, the backsplash is something you'll see several times a day for many years. Even if it costs a significant amount, allow yourself to splurge a little on something you'll enjoy.

5. Have a plan. A sure way of busting your budget is to defer decisions or, as they say in Washington, "kick the can down the road." Construction has started and you haven't made nearly enough decisions about what tile, what plumbing fixtures, what trim, etc. The builder starts pressuring you to make decisions or, worse, just does something without your input. You may find yourself tearing out work or, worse, have to live with something you really don't like because you don't have the time or money to change it.

The best way to avoid these nightmare scenarios is to have your architect and/or designer prepare a detailed set of drawings and make all of your decisions before starting construction. Then, don't change your mind. It's easier said than done, but preparing a plan and sticking to it is the best way to stay on track.

6. Have a contingency. Like other laws of nature, the law of a construction project is that "stuff happens." It could be a problem with the bearing capacity of the soil or uncovering rotted wood when getting ready to build the addition. The best way to deal with the unknown is to allow for a contingency in the budget.

The best approach is to start with a higher contingency, say 15% to 20% and then gradually reduce the contingency as you go through the project phases. When you first start the design, you'll have a line item in your budget for a, say, 20% contingency. After the drawings are done and the pieces of the project are identified you might reduce the contingency to 10%. As you you go through construction, you'll be able to reduce the contingency even more so that when construction is complete the contingency is zero.

You don't have to spend that contingency. If it isn't used, consider it found money that you can save. That's a great way to feel good about staying on track and coming in under budget.

7. Beware scope creep. A sure way to bust your budget is the dreaded "While we're it we might as well ... " You may justify it by saying "it'll only be a few hundred dollars," but once you do that a few times, you'll have added a bunch of work and will definitely blow your budget. Remember that you made a plan and remain determined to stick to it.

8. Consider tradeoffs. Sometimes it's difficult, if not impossible, to pass by that truly remarkable item that you find during the project that's not in the budget. When this happens, take a look at your budget and what you have left to accomplish, with the goal of reducing the cost of something else to afford this new find. Is there a part of the work, such as painting a few rooms, that you can do yourself? Maybe you can use carpet in lieu of hardwood in the guest bedroom. Get what you want and stay on track by moving budgeted amounts from one pocket to another."

In order to assist you with determining the cost of your custom log home, download our helpful Cost Estimating Worksheet that will keep track of the expenses you may experience while building. Another resourse to use to help determine cost would be to contact your Local Independent Log Home Consultant. They have years of experience helping others realize their dream log cabin home.

Although Appalachian Log Structures offers over 60 pre-designed log home floor plans, the majority of our homeowners have chosen to either modify or fully customize a floor plan to suite their lifestyle. In over 32 years of manufacturing log home packages we've rarely cut the same log house twice!

Take for instance the Fair Oaks floor plan above (left). We modified the Fair Oaks floor plan (above right) to take advantage of a beautiful lake front view for homeowners in Tennessee. We reversed the kitchen/dining area on the left hand side of the plan so the dining room could flow out on to a covered porch through beautiful sliding glass doors (with sliding screens). This offers wonderful opportunities for entertaining family and friends with traffic flowing easily from the kitchen and dining room to the specatular views from the porch and deck beyond.

The first floor 1/2 bath and utility area was re-designed to make easier access to the kitchen from the front door and to add a nice pantry to the kitchen area.

Upstairs, the two doghouse dormers on the front of the original plan were moved to the back of the house in order for both of the upstairs bedroom to have views of the lake and mountains beyond.

To take advantage of the sloping lot, a drive under two-car garage was designed for the basement and included another full bath and large gathering area with access to another deck below the 1st floor deck.

The modifications were done keeping in mind where the views would be, how the traffic would flow through the home and to take advantage of the wonderful weather in Eastern Tennessee and access to the lake from the home itself.

When viewing our pre-designed log floor plans, keep in mind that these are just a "starting place" from which your ideas can flow. Based on the building site, slope of land, the directional orientation, lifestyle, want/needs and especially your BUDGET, our experienced Log Home Sales Consultants are ready to help you modify or customize a floor plan to suite you. Let us help make your dream log home become reality!

View the two log home magazine articles that featured this Modified Fair Oaks by clicking on the links below:

When speaking with folks about their dream log cabin home the 3 features of the home that they are most excited to talk about are:

Master Bedroom/Bath

Porches

Fireplace

We had fireplaces in the homes I grew up in. Dad always put in the iron swing bar so we could cook over the hot coals from the fires he would build. I have wonderful memories of coming home on a Sunday afternoon after Church to a big iron pot of White beans with ham hocks that had been cooking all morning and afternoon in the fireplace. The smell of the fresh baked cornbread coming out of the oven to have with it makes my mouth water even today!

When Dad and Mom built their last log home they installed a vented, gas stove. As we age it becomes harder and harder to swing an ax and haul wood. Dad always said that wood will heat 3 times – once when you cut it, once when you haul it and once when you burn it! Over the years I’ve come to understand what he meant and if you have a wood burning fireplace I’m sure you do too.

The other issue with a true, open hearth fireplace, is that the heat you’ve paid so dearly for to heat your home with is being used to fuel the flames of the fire and then it’s going right up the chimney. Although open hearth fire places are the most beautiful, they are also the most heat in-efficient.

Now days there are several energy efficient fireplace options to choose from – vented and non-vented fireplaces and gas stoves, wood pellet stoves, zero clearance fireplaces, inserts and wood burning stoves. Each option has its own appeal for different reasons and you should chose and carefully research each option when deciding what to put in your dream log home.

As we started to design our custom log home in 1992 we considered all of the fireplace options and decided upon a wood stove. We live out in the country with only electricity to power our home. In case of power outages we needed a source of heat in the winter as well as something to cook on. Fortunately, the longest we’ve been without power (so far) is 4 days in a bad ice/snow storm. When we know an ice or snow storm is coming, we usually cook some food in advance and use the wood stove to re-heat or to cook chili, fry eggs/bacon, etc. to keep ourselves going. So it’s a multi-purpose unit that is nice to look at and such a comfort on a cold winter night to set by and watch the flames and listen to the crackle of the wood as it burns.

We positioned the wood stove in the center of the house so even with the power out the house never gets below 68 degrees. During construction, I also consulted with the HVAC contractor and we put a cold air return up in the gable end where the stove pipe exits the roof. This allows all of the heat up in the cathedral ceiling as well as the heat being generated from the stove pipe to be circulated when then heat pump is on. By leaving the upstairs bedroom door open just a bit the upstairs HVAC unit rarely comes on as the heat from the stove naturally rises.

The type of wood stove we chose also offered a catalytic converter that will burn the smoke coming off of the wood so that what goes up to stove pipe is 98% clean. In essence we have a heat source that burns a natural renewing resource, it burns very clean and hot, can be used to cook on, was made in the USA and provides a source of exercise (have you ever chopped wood?) that is much needed in the Winter time! Does it get any greener/better than that?

When you are ready to start planning you log home and deciding where to put your fireplace, wood stove or other heating feature be sure to contact your local Log Home Building Consultant. We’re here to help “light the fire under you” to get you started on your Dream Log Home!

Not everyone has the same wants and needs when deciding on what size log home to build. It is a personal decision that is determined by the individuals budget, site restrictions, purpose of use (full time home, vacation home, rental, etc.) and a combination of other such reasons that each person must decide for themselves.

Years ago we used a tag-line in our marketing strategy call "More Choices". Although we've developed other tag-lines since, we still offer quite a few choices when it comes to assisting you with your choice in log cabin homes.

Let's start with square footage size. Although we offer 9 Pre-designed cabins (under 1000 square feet) we've custom designed hundereds more. We also offer 2 garage plans and a Garage Cottage plan that several homeowners have built before building their larger home. They build/use the Cottage before starting construction of their other home and sometimes use it as their vacation home first, then as a rental or guest house after their log home is built.

Our Pre-designed models offer 24 plans in the 1000-1999 square feet range, 25 plans in the 2000-2999 square feet range and 7 in the 3000+ range. In our newest series of plans, Frontier TRS, we offer 12 single story models that have truss roof systems in place of our heavy timber/exposed beam/cathedral ceiling roof materials.

Although we offer an extensive range of floor plans, over 85% of all homes we produce are either modified or customized to meet the needs of the homeowner. It's these types of choices that folks search us out for as our clients don't like to be pigeon holed in to a specific design. Us Baby Boomers grew up with the Burger King mentality where we could "have it your way", and we expect our log cabin homes to be the same way.

How about size of the logs themselves? One item that sets us apart from the rest is that we offer a FULL THICKNESS log. Although log home manufacturers will tout a 6" or 8" (or larger) log, they will actually measure 1/2 inch lesss in thickness so you wind up with a 5-1/2 inch or 7-1/2 inch thick log wall. So for the same money - when you invest in a log cabin home with Appalachian Log Structures - you get a thicker wall which translates in to more INSULATION and a better overall VALUE. Our standard offerings include a 6x8, 8x8, 6x12 and 8x12 log and each size of log comes in a variety of corner styles. We've also custom milled different size logs for those wanting something even more out of the ordinary.

Now a bit about the size of the structural timbers. Once again, depending on the design and the wants/needs of the individual we offer a wide range of structural timbers to use in your design. Although our standard designs typically use a 4x8 floor joists and roof rafters, 6x12 girder beam and 4x10 ridge beams, we also offer round joists and rafters. Want something larger than what we design with - just ask. Several homeowners want larger timbers for the LOOK they are going for in their home and not what is required structurally - and that is ok. Just let us know what your size requirements are and we'll be happy to work with you.

The most important size to consider when building ANY home is budget. Be sure to set a reasonable budget for yourself before designing a home. Be honest with yourself and if you plan to finance, talk with a mortgage lender before getting your dream home designed. They will help you determine how much money they will lend on the project and you can discover how much monthly payments, including interest, will be as well as expected property tax (if any in your state) and insurance. The last thing we want you to experience is to have to eat hot dogs and popcorn for the first 10 years of living in your dream home because of over extending yourselves financially.

When you're ready to start planning the size of your log home be sure to contact your local Log Home Building Consultant for assistance. We're here to help you make your log home construction process be successful!

Over the past 20 years I've been blessed to assist hundreds of people in realizing their dream of living in a log cabin home. Every day our team of 40+ Log Home Building Consultants are sought out for their expertise and insight in to the process of building a log home or purchasing wood products from our mill. With all of these Consultants and all of their time spent in the Log Home Industry we have well over 300+ years experience people can tap in to when they want to invest in a log home they will be happy with.

In today's society, with the Wal-Mart's, Targets, Dollar Stores and the like, folks are always looking for what they perceive to be a "deal". With offers of 35% or 50% off pricing a lot of people think they are getting a deal, when actually they are paying retail. If you've ever shopped for jewelry or furniture, you know the mark up from retail is HUGE as no one could make money off of product that is consistently marked down 50% to 70% - I don't care how much "volume" they push. However these large box stores have made a habit of grabbing peoples attention with advertising low prices and today's society expects it. If I had a nickel for every time I get asked "what is the CHEAPEST price you have...?" I would be retired by now. I don't know about you, but when I built my log home I was not looking for cheap....I've never heard of anyone bragging about living in a cheap home.

If you ever noticed, most companies that really push low/cheap prices typically don't use words like quality, service or value and there's a good reason why - to keep the prices so low something has to be sacrificed.

Everyone knows that quality does not come cheap. In order to keep standards high only the best quality raw materials can be used. How those materials are handled throughout the manufacturing process is also important. In addition, if your product is proudly made in the USA with quality, local materials (not the cheap stuff from other countries) and highly trained, local labor you will get a product that begins and ends with quality. It won't be cheap, but it will be made to last.

A BIG part of the quality aspect is the service that goes along with it. Without good customer service from beginning to end quality will be affected. Today's customers expect GREAT customer service, but when a cheap product is purchased and they don't get great service, why are they surprised or disappointed? As my Grandfather used to say - "you get what you pay for" and it still rings true today.

Now a word that a lot of people use wisely is value. A product that is good (not the best), offers decent (not top notch) service at a low (not cheap) price has good value. Of course all 4 of these words will not only have different meaning to each individual, but everyone will have a different set of criteria using these words when choosing products. We're not all the same, don't all think the same nor all want the same thing. If you ever wonder why there are so many choices when making any type of purchase, whether its cars, mowers, or pickles, it's because of this very reason - everyone wants something different. A certain style of car, a

specific width of mower deck or a pickle that is sliced cross-wise or length-wise, the choices are numerous.

When deciding on what you want in a log home and before you ask about pricing, consider listing these words, in order of importance to YOU...Price, Value, Service, Quality. Once you've established the order it will be a lot easier moving forward and making decisions. You'll also understand a bit more about yourself and your buying habits so when the time comes to make decisions you won't waver on your choice.

Recently I was eating at a local restaurant and I happened to notice what was written on the back of the servers t-shirts. It's obvious that I'm not the first person to discuss this very topic and it does give one pause to think....and think HARD....about it's meaning. Look closely at the photo below...I think you'll understand that both of the photos are expressing the same thing.

At Appalachian Log Structures we work hard every day to offer QUALITY log home building products that come with excellent customer SERVICE all at a VALUE that is fairly PRICED.

When you're ready to discuss your wants/needs in your dream log home, give one of our Log Home Building Consultants a call. We're ready to listen and to help you move forward with your project.

Here is an article from the Log Homes Council website that reviews the GREEN advantages of log home living. Although I've been in my log home for 20+ years and have been telling folks about these advantages, it's GREAT to see the Log Homes Council put these in a concise list that pretty much covers it all!

"Whether the goal is to save money, fuel, the planet or all of the above, American homeowners are increasingly going green. And while the average household spends $1,900 a year on energy, log home owners typically report that they spend far less than their neighbors on heating, air conditioning, hot water and lighting.

Energy efficiency is among several ways modern log homes qualify as “Green”-- an approach to building that started in 1993 with the belief that we can all pitch in to make the places where we live, work and play more environmentally friendly. The hallmark of “green” is to use less energy, renewable resources, limit C02 or “greenhouse gas” emissions and create indoor environments free of mold, formaldehyde, carcinogens, and other allergens.

The most obvious factor that makes engineered log homes “green” is their building material -- solid timbers grown from trees -- a renewable resource. During the milling process, manufacturers utilize all portions of the log, from bark and other sources for mulch, scrap from cut-offs for raw material used in carvings and other home products, sawdust used by farmers as bedding material, etc. The homes are sold as kits or “packages” with the bulk of the building materials delivered at one time. These packages consolidate delivery and generally travel shorter distances conserving fuel, says the Log Homes Council, which represents nearly 60 of North America’s leading manufacturers and promulgates industry and product standards. And, logs require less energy and man-made materials than stick-built construction. With the completion of a log home, you have walls that serve both the structural and insulative needs of a home, as opposed to using many products from siding, house wrap, plywood, dimensional lumber, insulation, drywall, and paints in traditional homes.

Heating and Air ConditioningThe massiveness of the logs plays a vital role in conserving energy. According to studies by the University of Maine at Orono, the logs absorb heat energy during the day and radiate it at night to even out the temperature, which makes the occupants feel more comfortable while using less energy.

In addition to the benefits of solid timber construction, Log Homes Council member companies engineer their log wall joinery and roof systems to eliminate air infiltration and moisture, conserve energy and increase comfort. This engineered approach continues with every product included in a log home package such as brand-name, double-paned windows and patio doors with low-e glass, proper venting and subflooring structures.

Engineered for Energy Conservation and SafetyCompanies that belong to the Log Homes Council are up on latest developments in building technology and safety and maintain relationships with suppliers of roofing materials, heating systems, windows and other components. Council members constantly test and evaluate newer components to make sure they contribute to energy efficient, safe and trouble-free homes. Even the interior and exterior stains and finishes are evaluated for their suitability as solid timber coatings and to make sure they meet low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) clean air standards, in their quest for the ultimate green home.

The BuilderWhile a green philosophy begins with the log home manufacturer at the design stage, it has to continue with the builder who erects the home. The Log Homes Council’s parent organization, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), has been getting local builders on board by providing them with the knowledge they need to build green. As part of its effort, NAHB has partnered with the International Code Council to develop a consensus committee based Green Building Standard that provides a practical, nationally recognized baseline for resource-efficient, cost-effective home building.

The NAHB Green Building Standard and Certification Program addresses seven key green construction areas including site, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, homeowner education, and global impact. Direct ways log home owners can reduce their footprint include less impact on natural features and vegetation during building site preparation, choosing environmentally friendly components for subflooring, trusses and other conventional materials that go into a log home, choosing energy-efficient appliances, conserving water with low-flow plumbing fixtures and taking steps to increase occupant comfort and indoor environmental quality.

HomeownersLog homeowners play a big part in going green too. These individuals embrace nature and consider their homes permanent dream homes where they are willing to invest in energy efficiency upfront to reap savings over the years. Their design preferences lean toward open flooorplans that allow for the flow of warmth throughout the home – in many cases, a wood-burning stove is the principal heat source.From the manufacturer, to the builder to the homeowner, log homes are doing their part for a greener planet. Thankfully, log home construction is and always has been green. With new technologies and products available, log home owners can go the extra step to make their homes even greener."

When you are ready to start your dream log home and realize all of the benefits of eco-friendly living, give one of our Local Log Home Building Consultants a call to set an appointment.

How much does a borate pressure treated log home really save you? To answer that question you have to think of the LONG TERM investment you are making. Initially, these ClearTreat-Borate pressure treated log home materials are "priced" about the same as kiln dried, green, laminated, modular or panelized log home products, however the "cost" is far lower in the long term. How so?

Consider the growth in the log home restoration/repair industry. At each of the log home shows and in the log home magazines you will find more and more businesses offering this type of service, and for a good reason - homes built with non pressure treated wood products are needing replaced or repaired!

There are log home manufacturers that will tell you that dip-treating with borates or applying borates with a sprayer or brush is "just as good" as pressure treating. Others supply you with a type of "penetrating" borate solution that "supposedly" will be "just as good" as pressure treating however what they don't offer is a GUARANTEE that you won't have problems with wood digesting insects or rot/decay. The reason - none of these applications will penetrate the wood adequately nor will it deliver the amount of or retain the amount of borates in the wood that pressure treating offers. Now compare that to the 25 Year Warranty on the pressure treated borate log wall product that Appalachian Log Structures offer! With over 25 years of history, ALSI has never had a log wall warranty claim! What a testament to the quality of our log wall components.

Don't be mis-led by those who talk about "chemically" treated logs. Sodium Borates are an organic product that are mined from the earth. They are commonally used in everyday products like denture cream, make-up, laundry detergent (20-Mule Team Borax) and the like. CLICK HERE for an informative article on borates and the advantages of using them. Not only are the borates safe and EPA approved but also a very GREEN (environmentally friendly) product!

Now - how does all of this SAVE you money? With a borate pressure treated log home you don't have to worry about having logs or log siding (or other pressure treated wood products) replaced due to rot/decay or wood digesting insect attack. If you want a dollar amount placed on the 25 Year Warranty we offer - just ask the businesses that do the restoration/repair work what the average amount a homeowner spends when this type of work is required (replacing decayed logs, ridding a structure of powder post beetles, etc). You'll quickly find that by investing in an Appalachian Log Structures home, you'll not only have a nice home with quality log home building products, but you'll never have to find out, or pay for, these expensive repair services.

The next time you see or speak with a company offering log home restoration, ask what their services cost, ask about the manufacturers of the log homes they have made repairs on due to rot/decay or wood digesting insects, and ask their opinion of a Borate pressure treated log home. Besides the comment that they'll never have to repair one - you'll also be pleasantly surprised at the other positive responses they offer.